I sat spellbound under a clear black sky lit up only by the bright stars and magnificent Milky Way. It was only hours before that I had been ‘all shook up’ in The Milkshake, a hair-raising 4X4 obstacle course that lived up to its name and reputation. I was in the Bergrivier region, known as the Adventure Capital of the West Coast, to embrace the local hospitality and experience a few of the local adventure offerings.
It’s mind-blowing that such a small area is a paradise for water, cultural/art, outdoor and culinary adventures. The Bergrivier region is just over an hour’s drive out of Cape Town and encompasses Porterville, Piketberg and Velddrif, and stretches out to the Atlantic West Coast and, of course, everything around the actual Berg river.
Near Porterville is the well-known 22 waterfalls hike (and camp site) which offers a scenic climb up through a private nature reserve at the base of the Olifantsriviermountains 4kms from town. It has panoramic views of Porterville and Piketberg, as well as 22 waterfalls fed by a fresh spring all year round, surrounded by wonderful fynbos, small wildlife and a huge variety of indigenous trees. It was raining as we started the hike to the first waterfall, so we turned back and opted to head back into town and meet some local artists – JP Meyer, Andre du Toit and local potter Alna Prodgers, who have all made Porterville home. They welcomed us warmly into their studios to view their beautiful works of art. We also passed the Mosaic House which owner Christel has decorated every inch of, inside and out,with mosaics for years.
It’s on my list to go back and explore, but we were pressed for time and moved onto the Klein TafelbergAdventure Centre near Redelinghuys and Aurora, between Piketberg and Velddrif, to experience their exciting 4X4 trail up the rugged mountain nearby.
Dolf met us and arranged two suitable vehicles for us to drive the crap out of as we took crazy twists and turns called The Milkshake, The Snake, TheUturn …. We went over rocks, through soft sand around unnerving bends as we climbed up to the summit and experienced one of the most dramatic sunsets I’ve seen in a long time before rambling back down the twisty mountain to enjoy a well-earned braai in the boma.
We overnighted in the chalets and glamping tents and the next morning a few eager enthusiasts set off for a 2 hour hike up the mountain to see the local rock art and rock overhangs (and get some seriously instagrammable photos!). The rest of us
enjoyed the birdsong and slept in, before we all made our way to Draaihoek Lodge on the coastline near Eland’s Bay for breakfast. A walk on the pristine beach turned up an injured penguin, which we reported to Sacob.
We moved on to Velddrif for an awesome morning kayak up the Berg River estuary from Bokkomlaan to Port Owen Marina with Robbie Herreveld (a household name in canoeing circles and watersports) from Odyssey Kayaks. This area is known as one of the best birding areas on the West Coast as the tidal action between the ocean and the river, with its estuary and tidal flats, make this habitat perfect for around 220 bird species. We probably saw close to 50 water birds as we gently kayaked along the scenic route through the waterways into the Marina and onto Charlie’s brewhouse to sample their delicious craft beers with lunch.
That afternoon we checked into the local hotel in Velddrif, the Riviera, which has roomy chalets just on the water’s edge, giving us another opportunity to see more waterbirds. A trip on the Crackling Rose (in my case an actual trip!) took us further inland up the waterway to enjoy the outstanding sunset that this area is famous for. A bonus was spotting the Sishen Saldanha iron-ore train, the longest (375!) wagon train in the world.
The cherry on the top of this trip, or perhaps I should say the cheese on the top, was a visit the next morning to David Malan of Kokerboom Kaas, who started out making cheese in his garage and now his delicious range of 20 plus cheeses are in high demand locally. David does an entertaining cheese and charcuterie tasting, interwoven with stories about his start into cheese making and his latest creations. He has just made a new Bokkom kaas (long overdue, given he lives just off Bokkkomlaan) which is delicious and comes a close second favourite to the Blackwing Stilt (a stilton type blue cheese).
We are pressed and blessed for choice for things to do in the Western Cape, many of them an hour or two from Cape Town, and the Bergrivier area is underrated and almost undiscovered! It is fast gaining a reputation as the place to visit when you feel the need for unspoilt nature, exciting adventure and true tranquility, at the same time it offers real small-town hospitality and authenticity!
notesfromearthblog 
Deserves a set departure tour!
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Looks like an amazing place to visit, added to the bucket list 👍
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